§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how the promotion of sustainable development will be reflected in the implementation of the proposals contains in the White Paper, "Competitiveness: Forging Ahead." [15110]
The Deputy Prime MinisterThe 1995 White Paper "Competitiveness: Forging Ahead" outlined policy initiatives across the whole of government to help create the right framework and conditions for business to operate in a way that is both competitive and sustainable. In particular, it set out how the Government's tax and regulatory policies are being used to achieve environmental objectives.
The Government have encouraged, and will continue to encourage, industry to respond effectively to the challenges and opportunities of sustainable development. The White Paper set out how the Government are promoting to industry, and to small companies in particular, the benefits of positive environmental management and of best practice in the use of environmental technology and techniques.
The importance of environmental issues will be discussed further in the next competitiveness White Paper due to be published later this year.